The Chesterfield football history resource

The son of a Cumberland County rugby player, Bolsover-born Alf
Saxby played a few times for the second Town club as a guest during the Great
War and was one of the Municipal team's first signings, having come up
through local Bolsover sides.
Two-footed, and a quick reader of the game, he formed accomplished
partnerships with Jack Whitworth and Bill Dennis and came to be greatly
respected for his intelligent, consistent play.

Alf did not begin to surrender possession of the right-back
berth until age, injury and the emergence of the likes of George Beeson and
Alec Betton conspired against him.
Cartilage injury dogged a lengthy period of his playing career, while
general fitness was not perhaps aided by his remaining semi-pro in order to
carry on the trade of a licensee. While the club would have preferred him to play
full time they were happy to have the use of such a player on a semi-pro
wage.

Alf ran pubs throughout much of
his time at Chesterfield and was landlord of the Cock & Magpie, in Old
Whittington, at the time of his retirement from football. He later kept the Blue Bell, on Holywell
Street, and a number of other pubs in Derbyshire. Leeds United provided the opposition in his 1926
testimonial match. His brother Tom was on Chesterfield's books in the late
1920s.

Alf holds the distinction of playing the most games as an outfield player for Chesterfield without scoring a goal.